Congratulations to the Leftover Litigators for getting the highest score in the first round of scoring for TCDIP Connect!
TCDIP Connect is a guided 7-month small-group mentoring program that purposefully brings together attorneys and law school students of color with the goal of developing authentic professional interconnectedness.
Over the past scoring cycle, the Leftover Litigators (one of 11 TCDIP Connect teams) bonded through team building activities and monthly meetups. Consistent small group meetings provide a safe space for sharing experiences and building relationships. Group interactions also earn points! By getting to know attorneys through the Leftover Litigators, law students and early career attorneys feel increasingly more confident to present themselves on bigger stages. Maggie Chen (2L at the University of St. Thomas School of Law), “can really see [herself] as a litigator in the future.” She shares, “I am also able to analyze my own strengths and weaknesses and think about what kind of litigator I want to be in the future.”
The Leftover Litigators intentionally choose discussion topics. Conversations during meetups cover a spectrum of topics, from discussions around linguistic profiling, which have heightened awareness regarding language’s impact in the legal field, to personal motivations like competitive drive to resilience in the face of challenges. The team’s holiday gathering underscored the importance of shared traditions and the unifying essence of food across diverse communities. Group mentorship has been a cornerstone of the team’s success, offering law students invaluable access to professional resources and opportunities previously overlooked.
Another team member, Isaac Manchego (2L at Mitchell Hamline), added that “This mentorship not only unlocks new potential paths but also empowers me. The support and generosity offered by the attorneys on my team motivates me to expand my professional aspirations.” Candid discussions and mentorship form the backbone of the Leftover Litigators, creating an environment of understanding, empowerment, and mutual support.
This is the kind of environment that attorney Shantal Pai (attorney at Fredrikson and Byron) sought when she joined TCDIP Connect. She shared that she faces many of the same challenges that attorneys of color who came before her faced, saying, “I often find myself as the only attorney of color in a room. I joined TCDIP Connect to build a community of attorneys of color and find my place as a brown attorney in Minnesota.”Attorneys in the Leftover Litigators have found TCDIP Connect to be a resounding success. The diversity of perspective—in terms of race, age, gender, and practice type—makes for lively discussion. Through TCDIP Connect, the Leftover Litigators have built a space where members learn from each other.